A HAMPSHIRE man has walked the length of the country to raise money for families who have lost children during pregnancy.

Keith Spicer spent 73 days walking the 1,011 miles from Land’s End to John o’Groats, raising more than £7,000 for stillbirth and neonatal death charity Sands.

The 50-year-old, from Sarisbury Green, found a love for walking in 2010 after suffering with stress.

Then, when his niece Lorraine Gibbs lost her first child late into pregnancy, he wanted to do something to support the charity that helped her.

Since saying goodbye to his wife Pam and neighbour Lorna Davis in Cornwall in February, he has been walking solo.

He has worn out a pair of walking boots and braved all weathers, collecting donations along the way.

The statistician at the Titchfield-based Office of National Statistics and dad-of-one said: “It has not been an easy challenge.

"I’ve walked through all weathers from balmy sunshine to thick fog and violent hailstorms, I’ve worn out a pair of walking boots, encountered horses, dogs and alpacas along the way, as well as a variety of different accommodations, plenty of vanilla lattes, chip suppers and cream teas.

“It has been an amazing experience and I am so grateful for everyone’s support and the donations for Sands, which has truly made it all worthwhile.”

For more information or to donate, log on to justgiving.com/Keith-Spicer1.